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#LargerShip - Maersk subsidiary Seago Line has introduced a larger capacity load-on /load-off (lo-lo) containership to its recently created feeder service calling at Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Independent Accord (2007/20,995gt) operates the new container route between Algeciras-Liverpool-Dublin that began in April. The vessel has a 1,579TEU which is more than her predecessor, Antwerp with 1,058TEU that launched the service.

This morning, Independent Accord is offshore of Land’s End, Cornwall, bound for Liverpool. The UK north-west port until April, was the first time that the Maersk Group had used the Merseyside port in over 10 years.

In addition the UK-Ireland-Spain feeder service is a first ever direct connection for Maersk/Seago to the Dublin. The next call to the capital is scheduled for this Friday, and then onward to the Spanish hubport.

The service was established to provide direct cargo connections to and from the north west of England to Ireland and onwards to the Mediterranean, providing trade links to North and West Africa. It offers a six-day transit time between Algeciras and Liverpool, with vessels arriving and departing on Wednesdays.

“We are very happy to be introducing a new vessel to the route so soon after we created this new connection to Liverpool, expanding our product portfolio for markets in the UK and Ireland”, said Seago Line General Manager for UK & Ireland, Robert Clegg.

He added “We are well placed to serve customers looking for new opportunities through a Mediterranean connection, thanks to our competitive transit times and convenient berthing windows. We are also able to offer our customers in Liverpool’s hinterland access to South European and North African markets via Seago Line as a complementary addition to our existing offer.”

Liverpool2 started handling its first containers earlier this month and will continue with a phased opening throughout the summer and full operation of Phase 1 from the autumn.

Published in Ports & Shipping

The Kingstown to Queenstown Yacht Race or 'K2Q', previously the Fastnet 450

The Organising Authority ("OA") are ISORA & SCORA in association with The National Yacht Club & The Royal Cork Yacht Club.

The Kingstown to Queenstown Race (K2Q Race) is a 260-mile offshore race that will start in Dun Laoghaire (formerly Kingstown), around the famous Fastnet Rock and finish in Cork Harbour at Cobh (formerly Queenstown).

The  K2Q race follows from the successful inaugural 'Fastnet 450 Race' that ran in 2020 when Ireland was in the middle of the COVID Pandemic. It was run by the National Yacht Club, and the Royal cork Yacht Club were both celebrating significant anniversaries. The clubs combined forces to mark the 150th anniversary of the National Yacht Club and the 300th (Tricentenary) of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Of course, this race has some deeper roots. In 1860 the first-ever ocean yacht race on Irish Waters was held from Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) to Queenstown (now Cobh).

It is reported that the winner of the race was paid a prize of £15 at the time, and all competing boats got a bursary of 10/6 each. The first race winner was a Schooner Kingfisher owned by Cooper Penrose Esq. The race was held on July 14th 1860, and had sixteen boats racing.

In 2022, the winning boat will be awarded the first prize of a cheque for €15 mounted and framed and a Trophy provided by the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club in the world.

The 2022 race will differ from the original course because it will be via the Fastnet Rock, so it is a c. 260m race, a race distance approved by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club as an AZAB qualifier. 

A link to an Afloat article written by WM Nixon for some history on this original race is here.

The aim is to develop the race similarly to the Dun Laoghaire–Dingle Race that runs in alternate years. 

Fastnet 450 in 2020

The South Coast of Ireland Racing Association, in association with the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay and the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork, staged the first edition of this race from Dun Laoghaire to Cork Harbour via the Fastnet Rock on August 22nd 2020.

The IRC race started in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday, August 22nd 2020. It passed the Muglin, Tuscar, Conningbeg and Fastnet Lighthouses to Starboard before returning to Cork Harbour and passing the Cork Buoy to Port, finishing when Roches's Point bears due East. The course was specifically designed to be of sufficient length to qualify skippers and crew for the RORC Fastnet Race 2021.

At A Glance – K2Q (Kingstown to Queenstown) Race 2024

The third edition of this 260-nautical mile race starts from the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay on July 12th 2024 finishes in Cork Harbour.

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